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Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Vespe

Vespe had noticed there was something strange about his performance - he probably missed a note or two, but the others seemed to enjoy it, so he felt there was no need to restart. As the wagons came to a stop, Vespe took his waterskin out of his pack and drank deeply. "This place seems familiar...ah well."

As he began to reach for a loaf of bread, Vespe was startled by Groj yelling for someone to watch the perimeter. "Well, since you asked so nicely..." he sighed and put the loaf back. Vespe walked towards the edge of the area, looking around for anything suspicious.

Spoiler

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Spot - (d20)[13]Listen - (d20)[20]

Also, I'd like to make another Bardic Knowledge check to see if this place used to be (or still is) anything relevant or interesting.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Setting down his pack and staff and calling Braan down Derel took a drink from his waterskin before offering it to her, she took a little bit and he stowed it again.

Hearing Groj's bellowed order Derel muttered to himself "who made the meatshield boss"? before wandering off to have a look around the ruins.

Braan on the other hand decided to take a break from flying, setting herself up on Derel's grounded pack, her keen eyes watching the others, particularly the quieter of the two elves, the one who had been inspecting the wagons before they'd set off.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Spoiler

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That's funny, I could have sworn I read a thread where Hairb told us not to bother with further spot checks, but now I can't find it. Thusly, as Groj runs off after the merchant and his son, he'll be looking for traps and potential dangers (including animals, poison ivy):

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Aliron

Ignoring the others' abrogation of authority, Aliron sat on Arne's wagon and, shading his eyes from the sun with his hand, kept his gaze on the ruins. "We're stopping here? Every bard song about murderous elvish shades takes place at cursed ancient ruins and we're stopping HERE?" he muttered to himself, plucking at the string of his bow on his lap. "Do arrows hurt incorporeal elves...or just pass through them..." he absentmindedly wondered aloud before he yelled, "Hey you guys don't split up!"

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Braan

While watching the Elf, Braan heard him yell yell about not splitting up, and she said to herself "Why do all these idiots think shouting random orders at total strangers will work", with a twinge of annoyance. "Everyone is stupid but me".

"Oh, and shortstack you better bring me back something to eat or no-one's sleeping tonight" she cawed to no one in particular.

At that exact moment Derel felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, almost as if it were a warning.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Spoiler

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Groj

You are headed north, across the Orlister river that forms the southern border of Greater Langtier.

Ormoil is about a day's journey north of the crossing.

Vespe

Although you recall no specific lore about this place, a hymn written during the Foundation Wars tells that the armies of Larusel were pitted against many "towers and fastnesses built by heathen hand." This could easily be one of those.

Alternatively, the forces of the Wicked razed "towers and halls, of glory great" according to the Annals of the Silver Kingdom.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Ormoil, Groj thought, scanning the ground, stone, and bushes for signs of animals, threats, and food all at once, we must be headin' t' Ormoil. I'm walkin' backwards, is what I am. His coarse mouth crinkled. Tanisha'd eat her face off 'f I jes' showed up again with this crew.

He glanced back, then shook his head. His sister would more likely just laugh at him, with this group. Frigging lightfoot stompin' 'round poking 'is nose inna this place like he could tell the diffr'nce 'tween a hole in the ground and his... as for the cleric, Groj could tell from this distance the man was panting heavily, leaning against the wagon as the one elf watched him drink from a waterskin. Maybe he wasn't as tough as he seemed?

The merchant's men... kids?... were still coaxing the oxen to drink from the potentially poisoned cistern, while the sneaky elf simply sprawled out in Arne's wagon. At least the fellow with the light sword was up and wandering the perimeter -- there was one guy doing his job!

The sneaky elf yelled something about not splitting up, which was funny. Groj spit out some of his chew juice. That was the bossman heading into the middle of these ruined stones, was he supposed to let 'em go alone?

A cold breeze shot past, snapping Grojimar's attention back to his employer.

Last edited by Cyranojoe; 2008-08-01 at 01:21 PM.

"Only he who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible." --Miguel de Unamuno

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Rafe

Eh. I'll be with you guys in a second. He sits down heavily when the merchent and his son stop looking. Phew. Too much time in the library I think. After he drinks for a little while he stands up and begins finds a nice spot where he can be a look out.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Vespe

Seeing no immediate danger, Vespe began to ponder what this place could be. That hymn...it could have been a fortification for either side during the Foundation Wars. Then again, there was no real evidence. Without any formal knowledge of construction, history, or anything that could be mildly useful here, wild speculation seemed the only option. Doesn't matter, he thought, we'll probably be leaving here soon. It's only noon, that trader will probably march us a few more miles at least before we rest. Confident that if anything was out there, it wasn't going to bother them at the moment, Vespe returned to the wagon, retrieved a piece of bread and cheese, and ate his lunch.

A few moments later, Vespe decided that obviously, if there was anyone out there, they wouldn't be incredibly obvious about it while he was looking for them, now would they? He decided that the best course of action would be to sneak around the perimeter, looking for anything unusual. He said, to whoever was listening, "I'm going to go check around, come looking if I'm not back in five...no, ten minutes."

Spoiler

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Vespe's still alert, but I'll stop rolling the look and spot checks. Vespe takes no weight penalty on Hide and Move Silently, since his pack is in the wagon.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Behlan

Behlan lent against the leeward side of one of the wagons, putting his waterskin back in his pack, and, for the most part, ignored the more vocally paranoid members of the group as they started randomly bellowing instructions. A sarcastic, "and just when I'd decided to wander off with my eyes shut, too," being the only indication that he'd been listening. Instead, he turned his attention to the remnants of the building that had once stood there and tried to recall if any of the stories he'd recently heard, over mugs of cheap ale, shed any light on the odd circular ruins. There could be all manner of interesting things hidden in those ruins, he speculated...

There could even be traps, left by some resourceful bandit.

Behlan sighed. The paranoia must be contagious, he thought, as he pushed himself away from the shelter of the wagon. It was at least an excuse to poke around a bit, might even find something exciting, he mused idly as he started to inspect the rubble.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Behlan
"No water thanks, lad. I'm fine for now." The merchant gets up slowly with a grunt and heads for the wagons.

Your hunt for traps produces nothing. These ruins obviously see a lot of traffic, though. You find charcoal and ash from a few fires, some a few days old, some old animal bones and the like. Faint grafitti on the walls records names and dates- people have been coming here for decades at least.

Vespe
You hear the distant sounds of cow bells from the south, and there is an explosion of movement in the bushes on the other side of the road as a doe darts away into a thicket of trees.

Rafe
There's a tap at your shoulder. It's one of the twins, the one with the slightly crumpled right ear who does nine-tenths of all the talking out of the pair. "How are you holding up there, your holiness? Only Lem says you won't last the march to the Duskling Bridge under all that mail. I'd hate it if he were right."

Groj
Your search for food bears no fruit until you sight a small doe moving through the bushes across the road from the ruins. Hearing something, she pricks up her ears and darts away to the north and out of sight.

---

Your employer, having inspected the animals, gives a hoarse shout to form up around the wagon's. The sound of cowbells and the lowing of cattle approaches from the south.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Behlan

Behlan briefly considered adding his own name to the collection of graffiti he'd found. He grinned, the idea appealing to him, but decided against it, no time after all, and instead wandered out of the ruins as the merchant called the group back together.

The first thing he noticed was the man by one of the wagons struggling out of his knitted steal. Behlan watched him for a moment before glancing down the road they'd just travelled along, the sound of cattle catching his attention.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Grojimar

As he returned to the wagons, the sounds of a small kine of longhorns with several cowhands on horseback -- three? more? -- startled Groj for a moment before he relaxed, loosening his cowhide belt. Nah, cain't be them. We wouldn't run a drive this far south this time a' year.... Unless...

He shrugged. Beside him, the twin brothers were wrangling one of the oxen that was resisting his harness. "You boys work this road much a'fore? Which a ya is th' cookie?" he asked as he bent over to assist them with strong, experienced movements.

Though they didn't need any help -- the boys were managing just fine -- Groj waved the bard over with his free hand.

"Yeah, c'mon," he said, then pointed at a strip of leather just off one of the hooks. "Need ye t' grab that loop, yeah like that, and finish 'er off... yeah, ye git it." The elf's motions were graceful, if hesitant. Groj smiled a crooked smile, just containing a laugh before he slapped the elf on the shoulder in appreciation.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Vespe

Disappointed that his sneaking came to naught, Vespe returned to the wagons, when the very big man waved him over, needing him to tie a knot or something. Vespe quickly tied the knot, mumbling under his breath in Orcish. I am NOT a ****ing *****, *** *******, and that ****** can ***** his own *****ing knot.Ah, Orcish. Such a very fun language to swear in. And all the new words... Vespe laughed as he remembered the time when he had to ask for his friend to explain exactly what that word meant...three times. And even then, he had to look it up in a book.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Derel

Finding nothing particularly interesting within the ruins Derel returned to where he had left his pack. After a brief arguement with Braan about lunch he gave her some bread and re-adjusted his pack on his shoulder. Picking up his staff he headed towards the wagons, where the merchant was calling the group in.

As he walked he caught the big human glaring at him as he and the singer tied up a cow. "What d'you think shouty's problem is"? he asked Braan, who was perched on top of his staff.

"Maybe he's magiphobic" she suggested

"He didn't seem to have a problem with the Cleric".

"Well I don't know, maybe he just plain doesn't like halflings" she replied. "Can't say I blame him neither" she said giving the raven equivalent to a smirk.

"Oy, watch it or I'll summon a bat for a familiar" he said jolting his staff up to displace her. (He was kidding of course, he would never replace her, and she knew it). She landed back down on the staff just as Derel reached the merchant.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Derel
"We're moving on. I want to be across the Duskling Bridge before the day is out. We'll be lucky to make it at the rate we're going."

Groj
The young fellow looks taken aback for a split-second, and then shakes your hand. "I'm Lem" he mutters quietly, glancing over at his brother. "Excuse me. Lowe needs a hand." He heads over to where his brother is helping Rafe with his armour and stands there, looking over his shoulder.

As the merchant clambers up onto his cart, about a dozen cattle come up the road behind you, driven by a man on horseback. With him are four dogs, including a huge black Oemandiner wolfhound, hanging around the edge of the herd in a disciplined fashion. They become tense and agitated upon seeing you all, but the man utters a single sharp syllable and the dogs fall back towards him. From high up in his saddle, the man nods politely and raises a hand in greeting as he approaches the ruins.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Grojimar

Groj shook his head. He understood the bossman holding himself apart from the working men, but these kids were awfully skittish. And that elf, who'd seemed sharp for a second, had suddenly gone cold for no good reason, not even sharing his name or shaking his hand.

"Well?" he asked the bard, giving him a second opportunity to introduce himself.

Human, who was munching on a nearby patch of weeds off the edge of the road, whinnied in a laughing way, and snorted. As he did, the cows and their driver came into view, forcing Groj to shake his head again.

Three or four men? Ah, hells' bells -- how'd I confuse the sounds of one man and four dogs? Ah'm gettin' soft a'ready...

Seeing the cattle, smelling their musk and hearing their soft lowing, Groj felt it again. That twinge of homesick, like a howling wolf, or a bleating calf. To shake the sensation, he gave the driver a firm look... maybe Groj knew the man, maybe he'd know how things were going back home...

Spoiler

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Is there anything I can roll to find out if Groj knows the cowman?

Last edited by Cyranojoe; 2008-08-05 at 12:11 PM.

"Only he who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible." --Miguel de Unamuno

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Vespe

After staring for a moment at the approaching man and his cows (and dogs...Need to keep an eye on those dogs...) for a moment, Vespe snapped out of it, and abruptly noticed Groj extending his hand. "Oh, sorry, didn't see you there." He grabbed Groj's hand and shook it. "My name is Vespe Ratavo, entertainer and negotiator for hire. Not for hire right now, of course, but once we get to where we're going, if, you know, you need backup or something."

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Behlan

Behlan watched the cattle come into view and took a moment to admire the well trained dogs, especially the wolfhound, before stepping closer to the wagons. His only clear knowledge of cows being that they could be, very, messy and he didn't really want to be in their way.

He swung his pack from his shoulder and pulled out a small package of food as he lent against the wagon. Unwrapping the trail rations (dried fruit apparently; he'd never have pegged the mercenary he'd lifted them from to be so health conscious) as Vespe introduced himself to the loud man.

He chewed on a piece of apple as he readjusted his pack, before holding the package out to the pair. "Fruit?"

Spoiler

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Behlan is carrying his pack, and all his equipment, again. Speed is still 30ft. Wasn't sure if you needed to know...

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Derel

"Whatever you say" Derel replied to the merchant as he mounted the wagon.

He then turned his attention to the cattle and dogs that were passing by. He was understandably nervous, being three feet tall, a herd of cows can be more worrying than a manticore. Not that they weren't anything a few well placed magic missles wouldn't sort out, but still.

Turning away from the road Derel called to the group "okey-dokey, big boss said we need to get moving so if everyones finished playing around how's about we earn our pay" he said in his most salesman like voice.

"Oh what's your problem" he suddenly snapped at the large human as he turned to see him staring at him like Derel had just called his wife a sea hag.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Grojimar

Groj let himself another crooked grin. Damn him if elves just didn't make him laugh, whatever they did.

"Pleasure t' meetcha, Vesper -- izzat it? Cain't say I got much use f'r negotiatin', but if ye got a good voice, I'd appreciate a few good songs while we mosey our way north." He eyed the man's lute on his back, attempting to conceal his interest. "How many strings that thing got?"

His questions were interrupted, however, by the half-elf's offer of wax-paper-wrapped dried fruit. Groj shrugged amiably, said, "Sure, thank ye,", and took a small fistful. He spit the last of his chew to the side, then tossed the fruit into his mouth. Groj considered the taste and looked back at the cows and their driver. "Purty good, but ah'll have t' give ye some o' mah jerky... ye ain't lived till ye bit into that, an' it's bit right back, ah tell ye what!" Groj smiled again -- until the robed lightfoot waddled up to them.

"If everyone's finished playing around, how's about we earn our pay!" Groj gave the little weasel a glare, then turned his attention back to the passing herd.

"Ain' it jes' like 'em, act like they's in charge when they don't do a damn useful thing 't'all?" The ranger slapped the wagon behind him and continued, without shifting his gaze from the herd: "Boy, you see these wagons a-movin'? Nah, ye don't. An' till they move, ain't no reason f'r any of us t' git inna tissy. Th' boss -- th' real boss -- he'll move when 'e wants to, won't wait f'r us either way."

Groj held off from suggesting the halfling was better suited to following the cows with a shovel, in case the elves were sensitive to that sort of imagery.

"Only he who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible." --Miguel de Unamuno

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Behlan ducked his head in amusement when the self confessed jerky lover had the gall to complain about someone else ordering him around. "So, a hypocrite as well as a loudmouth," he said amicably.

He looked up, as if remembering the man in question was right in front of him, and smiled. "And I hope you don't speak Elvish, because I happen to like my teeth where they are." As if to emphasise the point his smile seemed to widen even further.

When he wasn't immediately knocked to the ground, Behlan switched to common and tried to introduce himself without insulting the man further. "Sorry," he began ambiguously, before gesturing vaguely with the small parcel of fruit he was still holding out to Vespe. "Didn't mean to interrupt you there."

"I'm Behlan, by the way. I don't think I have any jerky and I'm not nearly as skilled as Vespe here, but I get by." He reached out with his free hand. "I missed your name." And if I don't stop referring to you as the loudmouth I'm going to say it out loud again, he added mentally, in a language you understand.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Grojimar

Groj shrugged off the elf's foreign words, shaking his hand roughly. "Call me Groj -- thanks 'gain fer th' fruit, Behlan. Nuthin' t' innerup, though -- jes' lettin' a boy know the d'frence 'tween good advice what's practical, an' what's talkin' out yer ass." Groj scratched his head with his free hand; his dusky red hair needed a trim, he thought off-hand. "It's like when I yelled at you folks when we first stopped -- that was suggestin' ya keep our skins in one piece, jes' in case. But the boy here, he's tellin' us ta hurry up n' move -- jes' so we c'n do nuthin'!" Groj laughed, offering a smile to all but the lightfoot.

While the wagons remain unmoving, Groj looks over at the cleric, who's removed his armor and appears much the better for wear. "Hey! Rafe! C'mon over here, meet Behlan an' -- uh -- Vespe!" Aliron catches his eye as well, perched atop one of the lead wagons. He nods his head at the man, makes a small gesture waving him down to the group. "You too!"

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Rafe

Rafe stretches to enjoy his newfound mobility. Then he grabs his shield, and gives a longing look at his chainmail. Oh well, it's not like he was campaigning in the Brasslands. Time to meet the squad. Hello there, um Groj. Hello you guys. 'm, Rafe.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

As the man passes by, the weak sunlight gleams off the hilts of two swords strapped to his saddle. His heavily scarred face splits into a wide grin as he speaks. "Better get a move on. Storms in the south." It seems that he has been on the road for several days, as the beginnings of a thick auburn beard have started growing. "Take care, now."
After the man passes around the bend in the road, the merchant calls for the wagons to get under way, and you head on northwards.

Spoiler

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Anyone observing the man and with ranks in Nobility, History or Bardic Knowledge should make a check. Anyone with ranks in Heal can make a check, too.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Vespe

Vespe took a look at the man as he passed, trying to remember if, perhaps-

Oh, he thought, seems that'll have to wait. "Well, it's been nice meeting you all, but I guess the boss wants us to get moving," Vespe said, as he took his staff and returned to his place by the middle wagon.

Re: Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

Grojimar

"Ah, see -- thar we go," Groj said as the wagons began moving again. He waves Vespe and any of the others who begin to split up, excepting Derel of course. "Hold up, tho, Vespee -- let's get arselves organized-like. We was doin' okay, jes think we should make sure we all got 'r dogies lined up right-way-like."

For the first time since he had his name called for the job, Groj's voice and body language are relaxed and open. "Rafe and me are our big guys, so we was holdin' the front and rear. Somebody with a good eye should stick with Rafe, I reckon, n' if any o' you figger to be a good tracker, ya might want to go ahead n' scout ahead -- that'd be right good if we could do that. Two n' two, wit' one scoutin? Yeah, that sounds good..."

"I ain't sayin' that's how it's gotta be, mind, it jes seems right. Any a you wanna do it dif'rnt?"

Spoiler

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Holy crap, Vespe is 105 lbs on a 5'11" frame?!? Dude must be a skeleton! You sticking with that?

And yes, he's not counting Derel.

Roll for Heal: (d20+1)[17]

Last edited by Cyranojoe; 2008-08-10 at 05:15 PM.

"Only he who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible." --Miguel de Unamuno